Terms of flowering honey plants in the USA and Canada

According to observations of naturalists and beekeepers.

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Scientific name:

Astragalus

Common name(s):

Milkvetch, Locoweed, Goat's-thorn.

Life form:

Herb, Shrub.

Flowering time:

no data.

Flowering period

in Manitoba for this plant is: MayJune.

NECTAR PRODUCTION: 
Minor
 
SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

Astragalus is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the largest genus of plants in terms of described species. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milkvetch (most species), locoweed (in North America, some species), and goat's-thorn (A. gummifer, A. tragacantha).

Map of distribution and habitat in Canada

This plant is present in at least 63 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Milkvetch species include herbs and shrubs with pinnately compound leaves. There are annual and perennial species. The flowers are formed in clusters in a raceme, each flower typical of the legume family, with three types of petals: banner, wings, and keel. The calyx is tubular or bell-shaped.

Seasonal development:

Some species of Astragalus are useful honey plants, whereas other species are poisonous to bees and livestock.


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List of honey plants that may be blooming now in Manitoba
See the entire list

Salix lucida (aka: Shining willow, Greenleaf willow, Tail-leaf willow, Whiplash willow, Pacific willow, Lance-leaf willow, Longleaf willow, Red willow, Western shining willow)

Prunus pumila (aka: Sandcherry, Western sandcherry, Eastern sandcherry, Great Lakes sandcherry)

Salix arbusculoides (aka: Littletree willow)

Salix bebbiana (aka: Bebb willow, Beak willow, Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Diamond willow, Chaton, Petit Minou, Smooth Bebb willow)

Prunus americana (aka: American plum, Goose plum, River plum, Wild plum)

Vaccinium angustifolium (aka: Lowbush blueberry, Early low-bush blueberry, Low sweet blueberry)

Acer spicatum (aka: Mountain maple, Low maple, Moose maple, Water maple, Plaine batarde, Fouereux)

Salix nigra (aka: Black willow, Swamp willow, Southwestern black willow, Gulf black willow, Scythe-leaved willow)

Salix planifolia (aka: Diamondleaf willow, Planeleaf willow)

Astragalus (aka: Milkvetch, Locoweed, Goat's-thorn)

Rubus idaeus (aka: Raspberry, Black-haired red raspberry, Brilliant red raspberry, American red raspberry, Red raspberry, Smoothleaf red raspberry, Wild raspberry, Wild red raspberry, Grayleaf raspberry)

Salix alaxensis (aka: Feltleaf willow, Alaska willow)

Salix lutea (aka: Yellow willow)

Salix richardsonii (aka: Richardson's willow, Woolly willow)

Rhus glabra (aka: Smooth sumac, Common sumac, Rocky Mountain sumac, Red sumac, Western sumac, White sumac)

Allium schoenoprasum (aka: Chives)

Brassica napus (aka: Rapeseed)

Sinapis arvensis (aka: Charlock mustard, California rape, Charlock, Corn mustard, Canola, Kaber mustard, Rapeseed mustard)

Prunus pensylvanica (aka: Pin cherry, Fire cherry, Bird cherry)

Prunus virginiana (aka: Chokecherry, Western chokecherry, Common chokecherry, Black chokecherry)

Rhamnus cathartica (aka: Common buckthorn, European buckthorn, Dahurian buckthorn)

Salix myrtillifolia (aka: Blueberry willow, Low blueberry willow, Tall blueberry willow)

Salix fuscescens (aka: Alaska bog willow)

Salix glauca (aka: Grayleaf willow, Gray willow, Gray-leaved willow)

Tilia americana (aka: American basswood, Basswood, Linden)

Salix brachycarpa (aka: Shortfruit willow, Barren-ground willow, Small-fruit sand dune willow, Small-fruit willow)

Amorpha fruticosa (aka: Desert false indigo, False indigo-bush, Bastard indigobush, Indigo Bush)

Asclepias syriaca (aka: Сommon milkweed, Butterfly flower, Silkweed, Silky swallow-wort, Virginia silkweed)

Brassica rapa (aka: Field mustard, Common mustard, Wild mustard, Wild turnip, Forage turnip, Wild rutabaga, Birdsrape mustard, Rape mustard)

Echium vulgare (aka: Viper's bugloss, Blueweed, Blue thistle)

Chamaenerion angustifolium (aka: Fireweed, Great willowherb, Rosebay willowherb, Saint Anthony's Laurel, French-willow)

Agastache foeniculum (aka: Giant hyssop, Blue giant hyssop, Anise hyssop, Fragrant giant hyssop, Lavender giant hyssop)

Borago officinalis (aka: Borage, Starflower, Common borage, Cool-tankard, Tailwort)

Diervilla lonicera (aka: Northern bush honeysuckle, Bush-honeysuckle, Dwarf bush-honeysuckle, Herbe bleue)

Rubus chamaemorus (aka: Cloudberry, Bake apple, Baked apple berry, Bakeapple, Nordic berry, Knotberry, Aqpik, Low-bush salmonberry, Averin, Evron)

Cirsium arvense (aka: Creeping Thistle, Canada thistle, Field thistle, California thistle, Lettuce from hell thistle, Corn thistle, Cursed thistle, Green thistle, Hard thistle, Perennial thistle, Prickly thistle, Small-flowered thistle, Way thistle, Stinger-needles)